December 21, (THEWILL) – A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) under the auspices of the Pan African Women’s Project (PAWP), in partnership with the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)’s Gender and Inclusivity Department, has taken the PVC collection sensitisation exercise to markets, parks and streets of town, where women and youths gather.
The advocacy team was in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital and led a crusade to Akpan Andem market, Etagha Itam, and Ibom Plaza, among other thickly populated areas.
The head of missions of the gender-based NGO, Dr. Eno Udensi, said the advocacy come on the heels of the many compliments that PVCs are not accessible by intending voters and the fact that an outrageous number of permanent voters cards registered over the years are still unclaimed at INEC outlets around the country.
Eno, who spoke to Niger Delta Tribune during the sensitisation exercise in Etagha Itam market, sees lack of information and proper education as the reason for the slow pace of PVC collection around the state and the country in general.
According to her, INEC has tried its best by making the cards available in their offices and outlets but the problem is for the registered voters to know when to collect their cards, hence the need for sensitisation.
“Pan African Women Project is a gender-based NGO from the 54 nations of Africa including Nigeria. We have partnered with electoral bodies over the years, we promote sustainable democracy in Africa, we observe elections, we sensitize women, youths and persons with disabilities.
“In the aspect of PVC, we had an experience in Ekiti and Osun States. We were there as international observant group and we saw that many PVCs were not collected. We know the INEC has done so much, so we said to them: ‘we are going to take it up’.
“We know that the people that vote in general elections are women and youths, not just ordinary women but women from the grassroots. Many professors don’t vote but they criticise the government. All these women you are seeing in this market have registered and are ready to vote. Many of them have PVCs in their bags and many are yet to collect.
“We decided to partner with the Gender and Inclusivity Department of INEC at the national, we started with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), we choose two states in each geographical zone to sensitize women, youths and persons with disabilities,” she explained.
The leader of the NGO, who engaged several strategies including one on one engagement, spreading of fliers, open-air announcements and jingles and finally, gathering the people under canopies, expressed satisfaction with the exercise, saying that they have reached thousands of people and got their issues resolved.
She hopes that many people have started collecting their PVCs from Monday, Dec. 19, many people would move to their respective INEC collection centres to get their cards as the last batch of the cards were taken delivery by INEC in the state, at the weekend.
“We have spoken to over one thousand people today: educating, informing them, sharing in their frustrations and rebuilding their confidence and they have promised to go and get their PVCs in their respective LGAs,” she stated further.
Mr Ekom Umoh, the Public Affairs officer of INEC, Akwa Ibom State, expressed gratitude to the PAN African Women team for birthing such an idea and putting the interest of the people first, so they can cast and defend their votes come 2023, he also assured timely response on voting materials.
In his words: “The introduction of the Bi-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), will make next year’s election the most credible, and your PVC is your determining factor”.
He further announced that for everyone who had registered, revalidated or transferred their PVCs, should go to their respective Local Government Areas to obtain them as more cards have arrived.
Reacting to the issue of VIN theft, the INEC Gender Desk Officer, Mrs Uduak Akpabio, assured the women that no one will do anything with their VIN, because the BVAS has come to stay. She urged everyone to go and collect their PVC.
“Those buying PVCs from people are doing vain job. They cannot use it for anything. With the BVAS technology, your identity will be verified, you will be accredited, and after voting, the results will be transmitted electronically to the to the national office.
“Don’t sell your PVC to anybody because you will not vote without your PVC. The person buying it only wants to stop you from voting in the election,” Akpabio added.
She, however, apologized for the delay in bringing the last batch of PVCs, saying they needed to effect all the corrections tendered during the claims and objections window to ensure that correct information of voters was captured to avoid disenfranchisement during the elections.
She announced that all batches and categories of PVCs were ready and had been taken delivery from the Abuja office of INEC and are ready for collection in the respective INEC office in the LGAs.
Mr Oliver Frank (Member Board Of Trustee Itam Market) expressed appreciation and reiterated that the 2023 elections will be free and fair and that every vote must count. He added that everyone has full right to cast his/her vote for the choice candidate and indeed will be delighted to see his/her vote counted when the result is out.
In his speech, the village head of Ikot Abasi Itam, where the Etagha Itam market is located, Eteidung Gabriel Ikpewe, urged INEC to bring collection centres to the ward levels for easy access as many of his subjects are complaining of lack of funds for transportation.
He, however, applauded the introduction of the BVAS, saying it is a source of encouragement to voters, who would now be sure that their votes will count during the general elections.
He promised to take the information to the nooks and crannies of his community and also inform other chiefs to do so.
Market women, who responded unanimously, called for a collection centre and pulling units to be established within the Etagha Itam market subsequently, so women can collect their PVCs as well as cast votes during elections while doing their business.
They also expressed appreciation for the level of education they have gotten on their power as voters during elections.
